Anthony Browne’s incomparable artwork illuminates the deeply satisfying story of a lonely girl, a friendly gorilla, and their enchanted ni...
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reviews
Oct 05, 2011
Lisa
rated it: 
Gorilla by Anthony Browne.
I am amazed that I have never come across this book before! Only just having read it, I was immediately transported back to childhood days of vulnerability, ambivalence and let-downs, but also days of fantasy filled adventures, fun and love.
This emotive and endearing book tells the humbling story of Hannah, a little girl, who wants nothing more but to spend quality time with her very busy father. Left to her own devices a lot of the time, Hannah More...
I am amazed that I have never come across this book before! Only just having read it, I was immediately transported back to childhood days of vulnerability, ambivalence and let-downs, but also days of fantasy filled adventures, fun and love.
This emotive and endearing book tells the humbling story of Hannah, a little girl, who wants nothing more but to spend quality time with her very busy father. Left to her own devices a lot of the time, Hannah More...
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Oct 08, 2011
Ross
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The book Gorilla by Anthony Browne is a story about a girl called Hannah who loves gorillas. Hannah reads about gorillas, watches them on television and draws pictures of them but has never seen a real life gorilla before.
Her father is a very busy man and spends little time with Hannah as he goes to work very early in the morning and spends his evenings working also.
On the night before her birthday, something magical happens to Hannah. She awakes in the middle of the night to find a r More...
Her father is a very busy man and spends little time with Hannah as he goes to work very early in the morning and spends his evenings working also.
On the night before her birthday, something magical happens to Hannah. She awakes in the middle of the night to find a r More...
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Nov 12, 2011
Lauren
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Gorilla adresses how as a child sometimes you can feel lost and alone. Hannah a little girl who's father is always too busy working to much to do, well, do anything. Because of this she fills her time with her favorite animal, Gorillas! She reads books about gorillas, she watches tv about gorillas, she draws pictures of gorillas, she does everything that has to do with gorillas. But because her father is so busy and cannot take her to the zoo Hannah has never seen a gorilla in real life. Althoug
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Sep 20, 2011
Lindsay
rated it: 
I don't know why but it seems that Browne's stories with gorillas seem more depressing than his other stories. In both Voices in the Park and Gorilla there is a neglected child, from a middle to upper class family. It seems that Gorilla may have been the first, or one of the first gorilla books he had made because, his stories get progressively more complex, involving more points of view and more detailed illustrations. I just kept thinking about what the author's connection was between monkeys
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Sep 18, 2011
Kay
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Gorilla is about Hannah a little girl who loved gorillas and whose father is always too busy working. Whenever she asked him a question he would always tell her he was busy and say ‘Maybe tomorrow’. But tomorrow never came, he was always too busy or too tired. They never did anything together.
For her birthday she had asked her father for a gorilla, and during the night before her birthday she awoke to find a gorilla at the foot of her bed, but it was only a toy. Discarding the toy Ha More...
For her birthday she had asked her father for a gorilla, and during the night before her birthday she awoke to find a gorilla at the foot of her bed, but it was only a toy. Discarding the toy Ha More...
Sep 17, 2011
Maria
rated it:
Anthony Browne has something different and unique in this story. The Gorilla is the main character.The toy Gorilla and Hannah the lonely girl deprived from her dad's attention had quite a night of adventure in Hanna's dreams. In her dream the gorilla became like Hannah's dad. The perfect dad who she nedded so badly.
I was able to identify some of the visual grammar (Serafini,p.12)concepts I learned in class and they are as follows:
a) Visual symbolism: In this book, Mr. Browne us More...
I was able to identify some of the visual grammar (Serafini,p.12)concepts I learned in class and they are as follows:
a) Visual symbolism: In this book, Mr. Browne us More...
Sep 07, 2011
Sam
rated it:
This was always one of my favourite books as a young reader and probably even before I could read it myself!
I think Anothy Browne has explored a number of issues and anxieties experienced by most children in a imaginative, enchanting and magical way in this book- and the fact that this is all done within 30 pages is an absolute triumph.
'Gorilla' is a short story about Hannah, a young girl who is obsessed with all things gorilla. The story implies that Hannah is from a si More...
I think Anothy Browne has explored a number of issues and anxieties experienced by most children in a imaginative, enchanting and magical way in this book- and the fact that this is all done within 30 pages is an absolute triumph.
'Gorilla' is a short story about Hannah, a young girl who is obsessed with all things gorilla. The story implies that Hannah is from a si More...
Sep 02, 2011
Maria
rated it:
I found this an enjoyable book which captures the imagination. It is beautifully illustrated and great fun could be had looking at the pictures and spotting the gorilla. The pictures are expressive and full of jokes, and the story is sad, exciting and happy by turns.
The story is about a little girl called Hannah who loves Gorillas. She reads about them, watches them on TV and draws pictures of them. She longs to see a real one and wants her father to take her to the zoo but he is always t More...
The story is about a little girl called Hannah who loves Gorillas. She reads about them, watches them on TV and draws pictures of them. She longs to see a real one and wants her father to take her to the zoo but he is always t More...
Sep 02, 2011
Gerard
rated it:
My review of Gorilla by Anthony Browne
It is only fitting that the first review I post is this book. It was one of the first books that was read to me/ read by me and I still remember it to this day! This is a story about a lonely girl called Hannah, who longs for her father’s attention. Gorilla is a story that can help your child develop and the artwork can definitely start conversations with young children. It also has an optimistic ending so the outlook and conclusion is positive.
Ha More...
It is only fitting that the first review I post is this book. It was one of the first books that was read to me/ read by me and I still remember it to this day! This is a story about a lonely girl called Hannah, who longs for her father’s attention. Gorilla is a story that can help your child develop and the artwork can definitely start conversations with young children. It also has an optimistic ending so the outlook and conclusion is positive.
Ha More...
Aug 24, 2011
Heather
rated it:
In this enchanting, haunting, and bittersweet book, Browne is able to take the reader on an emotional journey that will leave you wondering if the Gorilla was just the fragment of a dream or a father in disguise. The illustrations are beautifully composed to play upon emotions and tug at the heartstrings. The characters come to life and are well developed in a short amount of page space. The main character, Hannah is a sweet girl who lives a life of isolation, with her work-aholic father who
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Oct 12, 2011
Nallely
rated it:
I really liked this book. At the beginning it was kinda sad because a little girl was being ignored by her working father. It was also sad that the mom wasn't around, even though they we don't know if she was alive or just not mentioned. In real life, many children feel rejected by their parents. In a lot of situations parents are always busy in spend very little time with their children. But luckily, children have great imaginations and find refuge in other things, they create their own little
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Aug 18, 2011
Rumena
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This story is about a young girl called Hannah who loves gorillas. Her father is too busy to spend time with Hannah and to take her to the zoo to see a real life gorilla. On the night of her birthday Hannah receives a very special present …a toy gorilla and something extraordinary happens the gorilla becomes alive!
He takes Hannah to the zoo, he takes Hannah to the cinema and they do all the other things Hannah wants to do with her father who never has enough time for her. The next day the More...
He takes Hannah to the zoo, he takes Hannah to the cinema and they do all the other things Hannah wants to do with her father who never has enough time for her. The next day the More...
Mar 02, 2010
Debbie
rated it: 
My toddler was attracted to this book at the library because of the picture of the Gorilla but after reading it to her I find it disturbing that it was in that section at all. What do I want out of a bed time story Anthony Browne ? Well I can tell you I dont want to see a washed out father neglecting his little girl leaving them sitting in a corner of an empty room. Her only happiness coming from an imaginery Gorilla taking her out in the middle of the night. How this has won any awards I do no
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Mar 20, 2011
Jose
rated it:
I thought Gorilla was such a sad, but good story. This picture book shows the main character's father is always too busy for her. The daughter feels disconnected with her father. On one page, the author's illustration shows the father reading a newspaper at the kitchen table and the daughter isn't able to have a conversation with him because he focused in his readings. She asks for gorilla for her birthday and her father gets her a (toy) gorilla. The gorilla turns into this father figure for the
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Aug 14, 2011
It’s hard to choose a favourite Antony Browne picture book but this is the one we used with our year sixes. Gorilla is the story of a little girl whose father never has any time for her; all she wants a Gorilla for her birthday but only gets a toy. Then when she goes to sleep the toy becomes alive and the Gorilla takes her on a journey.
Browne’s beautiful illustrations are intelligent and perceptive and it takes a few readings to really appreciate them. They seem to show the world throu More...
Browne’s beautiful illustrations are intelligent and perceptive and it takes a few readings to really appreciate them. They seem to show the world throu More...
Jan 04, 2012
Alicia
rated it:
I pretty much love everything that Anthony Browne does. In this book, Hannah has a deep love for gorillas and she has asked her father for a gorilla for her birthday. She doesn't see her father very often--he seems to be a single father and he works near constantly which tires him out and leaves Hannah feeling alone. The night before her birthday, however, something wonderful and miraculous happens which changes everything. Part of why Browne continues to be an amazing author/illustrator to this
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Oct 12, 2011
The story tells about a little girl who is neglected by her dad who is always busy. The reader is lead to believe that he is a single father because it only mentions that the mother is not around and speaks nothing else about her. It is a very relatable book because many students can have that fear of being alone to and that their parents are not there for them. Towards the end the daughter does mend things with her dad and finds out that he loved her all along. I think this book would be a More...
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Sep 27, 2009
Lauren
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This book is about a girl, Hannah, who is in love with gorillas. She constantly asks her dad to take her to the zoo, but he was too busy working to ever have time for his daughter. One night, Hannah's stuff gorilla comes to life and leads Hannah on a number of adventures throughout the night. This book has fantastic, realistic illustrations that evoke a range of emotions. Seeing how images of gorillas are creatively integrated throughout the book is also enjoyable for the reader.
Oct 13, 2011
Shinji
rated it:
This story is simple. Loneliness brings about dream and dream comes true, she can be happy! I could see that she identified gorilla with her father. The dream is absolutely her hope, what she wants to do with her father. Maybe, she doesn’t have mother, so father’s love is outstanding. Her father is so busy because of his work, so he cannot play often with her. It also makes last scene especially valuable. Finally, “she was very happy.”
Sep 18, 2010
Jodi
rated it:
It's emotional. It starts out sad, with dad being too busy for his daughter. Then it is touching as the gorilla and the girl visit the zoo. Her arm around him. The ending is happy with her dad making time for her finally. The illustrations are very surreal, unique for a children's book.
Jan 22, 2009
Amanda
rated it:
A lonely girl gets a stuffed gorilla for her birthday who comes to life at night and takes her to visit the primates at the zoo. The realistic artwork are impressive and the story is sad, but nice, especially in the end. A simple and beautiful book.
Aug 12, 2011
A typically incredible Anthony Browne book about how it feels to be a child who feels ignored by their parent(s)
Sep 28, 2011
Although it it s arelatively sad story, there is something very attractive in it and my chidlren love it!
Aug 07, 2009
Farah
rated it:
Entah kenapa Anthony Browne ini senang sekali dengan gorilla.. sebagian besar buku-bukunya yang gue baca pasti ada gambar gorillanya deh. Mengingatkan gue sama salah satu dosen gue yang tergila-gila ama simpanse hahaha..
Buku ini ceritanya sebenernya agak sedih gitu yah. Seorang anak yang ayahnya terlalu sibuk jadi dia selalu sendirian, dan pada hari ulang tahunnya, semua hal yang ingin dilakukannya bersama sang ayah, bisa terwujud secara ajaib bersama seekor gorila..
Tapi More...
Buku ini ceritanya sebenernya agak sedih gitu yah. Seorang anak yang ayahnya terlalu sibuk jadi dia selalu sendirian, dan pada hari ulang tahunnya, semua hal yang ingin dilakukannya bersama sang ayah, bisa terwujud secara ajaib bersama seekor gorila..
Tapi More...
Oct 27, 2011
Charlotte
rated it:
Beautiful illustrations. Heartwarming story about a child that feels lonely and ignored.
Apr 03, 2011
Peter
rated it:
Anthony Browne is one of the funniest, smartest writers I have ever encountered.
Sep 18, 2009
Brianna
rated it:
This picture book has such a sad and heartfelt story about a father who is too busy for his daughter, and her dreams of having a father-figure gorilla take her to the zoo. Browne's illustrations are almost surrealist, and though kids might miss all the details, adults will surely appreciate the depth of his illustrations.
